:

lity and general serviceableness. On this, Mr. Carlyle in his "Sartor Resartus" observes: "Perhaps the most remarkable incident in Modern History is not the Diet of Worms, still less the Battle of Austerlitz, Waterloo, Peterloo, or any other battle; but an incident passed carelessly over by most historians, and treated with some degree of ridicule by others namely, George Fox's mak-in nature at all times, or to inspired ing to himself a Suit of Leather. This man, the first of the Quakers, and by trade a shoemaker, was one of those to whom under ruder or purer omen the Divine Idea of the Universe is pleased to manifest itself; and across all the hulls of Ignorance and earthly Degradation, shine through, in unspeakable Awfulness, unspeakable Beauty, on their souls; who, therefore, are rightly accounted prophets, God-possessed, or even gods, as in some periods it has chanced. Sitting in his stall, working on tanned hides, amid pincers, pastehorns, rosin, swine-bristles, and a nameless flood of rubbish, this youth had, nevertheless, a living Spirit belonging to him; also an antique inspired volume, through which, as through a window, it could look upwards, and discern its celestial home. The task of a daily pair of shoes, coupled even with some prospect of victuals and an honourable Mastership in Cordwainery, and, perhaps, the post of Thirdborough in his Hundred, as the crown of long, faithful serving, was nowise satisfaction enough to such a mind: but even amid the boring and hammering came tones from that far country, came Splendours and Terrors; for this poor Cordwainer, as we said, was a Man; and the Temple of Immensity, wherein, as man, he had been sent to minister, was full of holy mystery to him." And of his preparing to set out on his mission, Carlyle says: "Let some living Angelo or Rosa, with seeing eye and understanding heart, picture George Fox, on that morning, when he spreads out his cutting-board for the last time, and cuts cow-hides by unwonted patterns, and stitches them together into one continuous all-including case, the farewell service of his awl! Stitch away, thou noble Fox: every prick of that little instrument is pricking into the heart of Slavery and World-Worship and the Mammon God. Thy elbows jerk, as in strong swimmer-sulting imprisonment. strokes, and every stroke is bearing thee find no such excuse for the great across the prison-ditch within which majority of the inflictions of legal

Vanity holds her Workhouse and Ragfair, into lands of true liberty: were the work done, there is in broad Europe one Free Man, and thou art he!”

The message which Fox felt himself called to deliver was substantially this: that God must speak to every man inwardly; or the outward revelation, whether given in symbol or in word

men at particular times, will be a dead letter; that to understand the things of God, even in the slightest degree, with a mere heathen apprehension of them, there must be an enlightening by the spirit of God; that following this light will lead men, and has led them, be their circumstances, country, or degree of intellect what they may, into further light; while neglecting it must lead them, in the midst of any amount of external information or religious progress, into deeper and deeper darkness. This Fox believed and taught, wherever and whenever an occasion, as he deemed it, presented itself. To follow him through the long detail of successes, persecutions, mobbings, and imprisonments, would far exceed the limits of this sketch nor does the history of his progress present those salient points or generic differences which would justify a division into distinct periods. His followers were animated by the same spirit; although some of them seem to have regarded his person with far more honour than was consistent with the doctrine he sought to establish. It is but fair to say, however, that he did not court it, and that during his lifetime, at any rate, great freedom was allowed to the expression of convictions on the part of all.

The untimely assertion of his principles brought a more tangible scandal upon Fox's proceedings than anything else. His zeal against what he deemed the worship of the outward, led him to intrude unseasonably upon the worship of what he calls "steeple-houses." And in some cases, it would require a direct defence, on the ground of the supremacy of conscientious dictates and the sovereignty of truth to justify him-at Nottingham, for instance, when in the great church he uttered his " testimony" in the middle of the sermon, there was no fair reason to complain of the reBut we can

have sent you herewithal the bodies of George Fox, late of Mansfield, in the county of Nottingham, and John Fretwell, late of Stanesly, in the county of Derby, husbandman, brought before us this present day, and charged with the avowed uttering and broaching of divers blasphemous opinions, contrary to the late Act of Parliament, which, upon their examination before us, they have confessed.

66

Signed, GERVASE BENNET,
NATHANIEL BARTON.

"Oct. 30th, 1650."

penalties or popular violence on Quaker teachers, on similar grounds of accusation. Usually Fox and his friends waited till the regular service was ended before they spoke to the congregation. If even then it is urged that the limits of prudence and propriety were overstepped in their attempting anything of the kind, they may claim the benefit of a disputed rule in foro morum, and may partly rest their defence on the special circumstances and conventionalities of the times. In affairs of the highest importance, there may be more honour done to the highest harmony, The central doctrines we have seen which is truth, than to that inferior already; and if to this we add the veheharmony which pretends to be the ment zeal with which they were uttered, 66 comme il faut." We are generally and the frequent warning to persecutors disposed to look with some indulgence and gainsayers to "quake before the on greater violations of social decency | Lord," whence the name Quaker was in the cause of essential truth, than derived, and which dates from the year George Fox's preaching was ever charged just mentioned-we shall understand with. What sound Presbyterian would the reason of the frequent imprisonnot rebuke tenderly the ire of that ment of the early "Friends." With the zealous old Scotswoman who some few belief in the "Inward Life" several inyears before, when the English Church ferential doctrines naturally associated Service (the symbol of restored Epis- themselves. The meaning of the term copacy) was read for the first time in church is necessarily more limited in St. Giles's church, Edinburgh-flinging Fox's system than in any other. Each the stool she sat on at the officiating unit is a virtual church in himself. dean, cried out in the excess of her Wherever a God-fearing man wasindignation, "Villain! dost thou say the a man living in obedience to the mass at my lug?" Besides, the posi- light within, there was a temple of God tion of ecclesiastical affairs at that in which the incense of good thought period supplies a special excuse. It is and good work was continually ascenda very delicate question to whom, in ing to heaven. All such a man's occuthose days of the commonwealth, the pations were sacred-all that were in parish churches really belonged. Pres- strict and diligent accordance with the byterian Baxter was preaching at Kid- inward teaching were equally sacred, derminster, in a church which had been of whatever kind. No ceremony or form built and endowed by Roman Catho- of religious worship was judged indislics, and since occupied by Episco- pensable-useful, as conducing to edifipalians. If the government laid a claim cation, but nothing more. Their baptism to possession-it was itself divided on was to be purely and only of the spirit, religious matters. Besides the religious and every meal was to be a sacrament. services held in them were by no means Church architecture, clerical habits, holyso strictly regular as at present. We days, had no meaning for them. "The find them used, in those abnormal three spires of Lichfield struck at my times, as places for religious discussion, life," Fox tells us. Only a large enjoyin which the minister in the pulpit ment of the spiritual life could entitle any acted as a kind of chairman or mo- man to teach others; and his commisderator; and the congregation gene- sion was limited to such times as he rally, took part in the proceedings. The was actually in the enjoyment of that forms of warrants and indictments show superiority. Sex making no distinction clearly enough that it was not the man- in the possession of the inward life, or ner but the matter of Fox's teaching in its vigorous cultivation, was to form that were so direly offensive. Read the no distinction in the ministry of the following warrant of commitment to word to others. With these views, social Derby gaol:and political peculiarities were strictly "To the Master of the House of connected. Pure truth and love must Correction in Derby, greeting. We be the glory and defence of God's living

66

temples. Simulation, dissimulation of but on one occasion, at Twycross, a servant all sorts, on what pretence soever, must in some gentleman's house came be put far from them. Hence, to quote raving out upon him with a naked the language of William Penn, in his rapier in his hand." Fox, nothing dispreface to Fox's Journal," they affirmed mayed, looked steadfastly on him and it to be sinful to give flattering titles, or said: "Alack! for thee, poor creature! to use vain gestures and compliments of what wilt thou do with thy carnal wearespect; though to virtue and authority pon, it is no more to me than a straw." they ever made a difference, but after The determination to celebrate martheir plain and homely manner, yet riages after their own fashion and in sincere and substantial way. They also accordance with their own principles, used the plain language of thou and was perhaps their boldest assertion of thee to a single person, whatever was social and political independence on his degree among men." This "thou conscientious grounds; but the result and "thee" was, as Penn calls it, the has proved that social order may someplain language of those times, and had times be honoured as much in the nothing of the quaintness with which it breach as in the observance; for no strikes the ear in modern days. It is the body of men has contributed more to a familiar speech of Germany, and may general respect for law and propriety, often enough be heard in some country than the Society of Friends. Resistance districts of England, though more fre- to tithes and other Church-dues, comquently in joke, irony, or anger, than pletes the summary of Quaker dissiin ordinary talk. Fox felt himself for- dence; and whatever may be thought bidden, also," to put off his hat to any, of the special application of their prinhigh or low." The political aspect of ciple, in point of wisdom, it must be the early Quakers was equally remark- allowed, that scrupulous conscientiousable with their religious and social pecu-ness has, in their case, received its reliarities. 66 Yea" and "Nay," was their ward-that of universal respect. conversation in private; and swear they In resuming the thread of the would not in public. They forbore to Founder's biography, space will not revenge or forcibly prevent insult allow us even to recount all the events of to them as individuals, and they could an ever-active life, nor can we dwell on not be brought to fight in their capacity its principal occurrences; of his trance as citizens. "As truth-speaking suc- and meditations in the Vale of Bever, ceeded swearing, so faith and truth suc- in 1648, when he lay fourteen days ceeded fighting, in the doctrine and like a dead man, but after which his inpractice of this people." The first dis- ward peace was more strongly confirmed tinct protest on behalf of these Peace than before-his fanaticisms and atPrinciples, which constitute their most tested quasi-miraculous cure of diseases notorious political divergence from ordi- his imprisonments at Carlisle, Leinary rules, at present, was made by their cester, Lancaster, and Worcester, befounder from the gaol at Derby. At sides those already mentioned-his the end of his appointed term of impri- interviews with Cromwell to ask sonment, some of the soldiers there his protection for persecuted Quakers, wished to have him as a commander. in the last of which he saw and This he refused. Next, they wanted to press him as a common soldier, when the battle of Worcester was drawing on; but "he told them that he was brought off from outward wars." He deemed that it made no part of his, nor of any man's calling, to shoot the lives out of his fellow-creatures; but rather, if possible, to inspire them with a better life. And it was no cowardice that led him to draw back. He could bear the sight of cold steel better than most men; for not only was he often cruelly beaten and bruised by people with their hands, Bibles (a formidable weapon of assault and battery in those days), and sticks,

felt

a waft of death go forth against him"-of his marriage with that right noble woman, Margaret, widow of Judge Fell, of Ulverston, whose firmness and high-mindedness may well have confirmed his Quaker doctrine of female ministrations-of his voyages and travels through Great Britain, and the Continents of Europe and America, we can only take this cursory notice. Nor may we dwell on the success of his mission, and the procla mation of his doctrine, not only in Christendom, but in an Eastern court, and that by a female member of the Society. The accession of such men as

THE EARL OF SHAFTESBURY.

ANTHONY ASHLEY COOPER, D.C.L., | 1586, for Whitechurch, Hants. F.R.A.S., seventh Earl of Shaftesbury, in lineage comes John Cooper, Esq., and son of the sixth Earl by the fourth of Rockbourn, Southampton, who was daughter of the fourth Duke of Marl- created Baronet on the 4th July, 1622. borough. Lord Shaftesbury has long Sir Anthony Ashley Cooper, son of been marked for history, on account of Sir John, born at Wimborne St. Giles, his philanthropy, piety, and patriotism, in Dorsetshire, July 22, 1621, inherited and his name needs nothing adventi- the estates both of his father and of his tious to give it lustre. But we cannot maternal grandfather, Sir Anthony forget that his ancestry, also, is his- Ashley. He was entered of Exeter toric, and that the memory of the first College, Oxford, in 1636, and in 1638 who bore this title will be honoured became a student of law at Lincoln's throughout the British Empire, so long| Inn. He must have been a youth of as constitutional liberties exist. May great energy,-unless, indeed, family this be until the end of time!